Coating apparatus.



H. E. KOCK.

COATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-2,1914.

mwm ao INVENTOR 71)? EM 7M W WW ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- H. E. KOCK.

COATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1914.

1,205,223., Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESSES: l/Vl/E/V rm? $4 QQA/ I BY f 1 W HENRY E. KOCK, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

COATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Application filed January 2, 1914. Serial No. 809,842.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY EDWARD KooK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for applying sensitive photographic emulsions or the like to material such as plates, sheets, film, etc., to be coated therewith.

The main object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which will more efficiently and economically apply such coatings and in a more even and satisfactory manner, particularly to disconnected sheets of considerable thickness such as plates of celluloid or the like.

Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description given below, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part ofthis specification, and in which is shown an apparatus embodying the invention in its preferred form. It

- will be understood, however, that many container partly in section; Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the adjustable outer plate at the outlet slot of the container; Fig. .6 is a transverse section of the plate shown in 'Fig. 5; and Figs. 7 and 8 are details of the adjusting strips inserted in front of the plate of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents suitable framework carrying four pulleys 2, 3, 4 and 5 over which travel two belts 6 and 7 in tandem. Passing over the two belts 6 and 7 is a third belt 8 which is preferably of paper or other thin material such that it is readily cooled by the belt 7 and readily warmed again by the belt 6.

The pulleys 3 and 1 are supported on shafts carrying gears driven at a common speed by means of motor 9 through the worms 10. The belt 8 is adapted to carry the sheets 11 (see Fig. 3) or other material to be coated, and intermediate the belts 6 and 7 is supported by a fixed cross support 12. Directly above the support 12 and over the belt 8 is an emulsion-supplying means or container 13.

Intermediate the upper and lower runs of the belt 7 is a cooling means consisting of an ice box 14 having its bottom inclined downwardly and outwardly from the center in order that any condensation thereon will be carried to the sides of the container and not drip upon the belt 7. Arranged above the top run of the belt 7 is another cooling means in the form of an ice box 15 having its bottom similarly constructed for a like purpose and situated about twelve to eighteen inches from the container 13.

At the exit end of the apparatus is a light extension frame upon which may be laid thin panels 17 upon which may be distributed the coated plates or sheets as they are delivered thereto by the belt 8. The panels 17 may be used for transporting the coated plates or sheets to suitable driers.

The container 13 is supported in the framework by means of trunnions 18 so that it may be rocked, the trunnions 18 being hollow so that a temperatureregulating fluid may be admitted therethrough to the jacket 19 extending about the container, or other means for regulating the temperature of the emulsion in the container. The container 13 is provided with a port 20 through which the container may be filled with emulsion upon being tilted to bring the port uppermost. The port 20 is closed by a stopper 21 through which extends a glass tube 22 connected at its outer end with an adjustable air inlet valve in the form of a rubber tube 23 adapted to be opened and closed by a screw cock 24. At the base of the container it is provided with a block 25 having a long crosswise slot 26 therein extending substantially the whole length of the container. In front of the block 25 is a strip 27 secured to the block 25 by screws 28 and separated from the block 25 by means of thin adjusting sheets or strips of celluloid or similar material 29 about .010 inch thick, having holes 30 to accommodate the screws 28. By thus spacing the strip 27 from the block 25 a long crosswise outlet slot is provided for the outflow of the emulsion having its opposed faces so wide as to materially retard the 7 wardly in the direction of the flow of the emulsion as viewed in Fig. 3, and adapted to keep at least a portion of the emulsion in movement.

32 is a capillary conveyer preferably in the form of a brush of camels hair set in a block of hard rubber 33 held in contact with the lower edge of the strip 27 by means of a spring clip 34 secured to the outside of the container 13. The shallow grooves 31 form regularly spaced enlargements of the thin long slot formed between strip 27 and the block 25 which serve to insure the equal distribution of the emulsion as it is conveyed down the outlet slot to the brush 32, at which point it should form a small bead 38, to regularly spaced points from which points capillarity within the brush itself is capable of insuring the most perfect equality of distribution as the emulsion is conveyed to the sheets or plates 11 by the brush.

As the hairs of the brush are likely to leave minute streaks in the emulsion coating. I prefer to incline the belt feed mechanism, at least at the point where it conveys the material to be coated beneath the brush 32, at an angle of about 10 from the horizontal. so that as the material moves upwardly beneath and away from the brush the emulsion tends to flow backward and is permitted to collect to form a small bead 35 on the material 11 at the edge of the brush 32 which supplies the emulsion thereto. \Vith this slight excess of emulsion it is permissible in order to avoid unnecessary soiling of the belt 8, to slightly overlap the edges of the sheets 11 as shown in Fig. 3,Avitho ut interfering with the equality of the coating. I prefer to have the length of the brush slightly less than the width of the sheet to be coated, so that a narrow uncoated margin is left on the sheet which may be later trimmed off if desired. Vhen sheets narrower than the full length of the slot 26 are to be coated, the strip 29 is provided with wider protrusions 36, as shown in Fig. 7, which cover the ends of the slot 26 so that a narrower and shorter brush may be used to treat a narrower sheet, or the strip 29 may also be provided with a wide central protrusion 37 and two short brushes be used to coat simultaneously two rows of narrower plates side by side.

It will be understood that the speed of the belt 8 will bear due relation to the incline pending application filed December 1, 1913,

Serial No. 804,116, at 30 C. I prefer to use a speed of about three inches per second, as this speed leaves time for the emulsion to more perfectly flatten its surface before passing beneath the ice box 15 which finally chills and causes the emulsion to set. Even when the emulsion is first applied, however, the chilling action is begun by the absorption of heat from the back of the sheet 11 through the belt 8 by the belt 7 which is kept cool by means of the ice box la.

The adjustment of outflow of emulsion from the container 13 to the sheets 11 is controlled or regulated in a plurality of ways, i. a, by the adjustment of the distance between the opposed faces of the strip 27 and block 25, the viscosity of the emulsion and the rate of admission of air through the adjustable air inlet valve 23, 24. I prefer to make these adjustments so that with the air valve 23, 24 wide open the viscosity of the emulsion in the slots shall prevent flooding of the sheets 11 and then to regulate the desired thickness of emulsion coating by adjustment of the air valve 23, 24. The latter regulation is facilitated by the fact that the size of the upper bead 38 will indicate the fullness of supply to the capillary conveyer in advance of the exhaustion of the supplyuvithin the capillaries themselves and the reserve in the capillaries will maintain the bead until the valve 23. 24 can be readjusted if necessary to adjust the bead 33 to its proper dimensions. The bead 38 is therefore an indicator to the workman for adjusting the air valve to regulate the flow and likewise a warning in advance of the exhaustion of the emulsion supply in the container.

The temperature-regulating jacket 19 not only regulates the temperature of the emulsion in the container, but also by regulating the temperature of the metal block 25, regulates the ten'lperature of the emulsion passing through the outlet slot over the whole length thereof.

All parts of the emulsion container with which the emulsion comes in contact are silver plated.

A roller 39 is provided just in advance of the brush 32 to flatten the sheets and insure their being level as they pass under the brush, and likewise to increase the friction between the sheets and the belt 8 particularly at the time when the front edges of the sheets strike the brush to prevent the stoppage of the sheets by the brush at this time of greatest resistance to the passage of the sheets. I

I am aware that numerous machines for coating of photographic emulsions have been suggested. Some apply the emulsion by means of a narrow slot to spread it across the Width of the sheet, but if a slot is made narrow enough to sufficiently restrain the feed of the emulsion it is likely to become clogged at one side or the other owing to variations in temperature or consistency of emulsion. Some regulate the rate of feed wholly by gradual admission of air to a closed emulsion vessel, but while this serves fairly well to regulate the total amount applied, it does not insure equable distribution over the entire surface. Some apply with a brush but make no provision on the one hand to see that the total amount supplied is accurately regulated and accurately distributed to various parts of the brush, and no provision on the other to assure the complete removal of all brush. marks from the applied surface of the emulslon.

Having fully and clearly described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;

1. An apparatus for applying sensitive photographic emulsions and the like having a closed emulsion container and means for equalizing the distribution of the emulsion from the container comprising a long outlet slot and a capillary conveyer for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to which the emulsion is to be applied, and means for moving the material relatively to the container and at an incline whereby the emulsion tends to collect on the material at the capillary conveyer.

2. An apparatus for applying sensitive photographic emulsions and the like having a closed emulsion container and means for regulating the flow of emulsion therefrom in a plurality of ways comprising an adjustable air inlet valve for the container and a long crosswise slot for the outflow of the emulsion from the container, said slot having opposed faces of a width many times the distance between the faces so as to materially retard the flow of emulsion therebetween, means for adjusting the distance between said faces to vary the retarding of flow of emulsion between the faces from the container, and a capillary conveyer for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to which the emulsion is to be applied.

3. An apparatus for applying sensitive photographic emulsions and the like having a closed emulsion container and means for regulating the flow of emulsion therefrom in a plurality of ways comprising an adjustable air inlet valve for the container and a long crosswise slot for the outflow of the emulsion from the container, said slot having its opposed faces so wide as to materiallv retard the flow of emulsion therebetween, means for adjusting the distance between said faces to vary the retarding of flow of emulsion between the faces from the container, a capillary conveyer for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to which the emulsion is to be applied, and means for moving the material relatively to the container and at an incline whereby the emulsion tends to collect on the material at the capillary conveyer.

4. An apparatus for applying sensitive photographic emulsions and the like, having an emulsion container with means for regulating the temperature thereof, said container having an outlet slot and a. capillary brush conveyer for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the materigl tobe coated,

and an inclined belt feed mechanism for conveying the material to be coated beneath the brush at an incline.

5. An apparatus for applying sensitive photographic emulsions and the like, having an emulsion container, said container having an outlet slot and a capillary brush conveyer for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to be coated, and an inclined belt feed mechanism for conveying the material to be coated beneath the brush at an incline.

6. An apparatus for applying sensitive photographic emulsions and the like, having an emulsion container, said container having an outlet slot and a capillary brush conveyer for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to be coated, and means for conveying the material to be coated beneath the brush at an incline.

7. An apparatus for applying sensitive photographic emulsions and the like, having an emulsion container, said container having an outlet slot and a conveyer for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to be coated, and means for conveying the material to be coated beneath the said conveyer at an incline.

8. An apparatus for applying sensitive photographic emulsions and the like, having an emulsion container, said container having an outlet slot and a brush for con veying the emulsion from the slot to the material to be coated, and an inclined belt feed mechanism for conveying the material to be coated beneath the brush at an incline.

9. An apparatus for applying photographic emulsions and the like comprising emulsionsupplying means and means for moving the material to be coated relatively to said supplying means at an incline and below the supplying means whereby the emulsion is applied to the top of the material and is permitted to collect on the material at the supplying means.

10. An apparatus for applying photographic emulsions and the like comprising emulsion-supplying means having a brush for conveying the emulsion to the material to be coated and means for moving the material to be coated relatively to said supplying means at an incline and below the supplying means whereby the emulsion is applied to the top of the material and is permitted to collect on the material at the supplying means. 11. An apparatus for applying photographic emulsions and the like comprising,

a jacketed emulsion container having a rocking motion, and means for permitting the passage of a temperature-regulating fluid through the trunnions of the container to the jacket thereof.

12. An apparatus for applying photographic emulsions and the like comprising a jacketed emulsion container having a rocking motion, and means for permitting the passage of a temperature-regulating fluid through the trunnions of the container to the jacket thereof, said container having a long outlet slot and a flexible conveyer for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to be coated.

13. An apparatus for applying photographic emulsions or the like comprising an emulsion container and means for regulating the How of emulsion therefrom comprising an adjustable air inlet valve, said container having a long outlet slot and a brush for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to be coated, said brush being arranged at anangle to the material to be coated.

14. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion-supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coated past said means. comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the material to be coated is carried.

15. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion-supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coat- 'ed past said means, comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the material to be coated is carried, said third belt.

being composed of paper whereby it may be cheaply replaced when soiled.

16. An apparatus -for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion-supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coated past said means, comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the material to be coated is carried, and means for cooling the second belt and that portion of the third belt passing over the second belt.

17. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion-supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coated past said means, comprising two belts ar' ranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the material to be coated is carried, and means for cooling the second belt, said third belt being thin and of material such that it is readily cooled by the second belt.

18. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion-supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coated past said means, comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the material to be coated is carried, and a support for the third belt intermediate the first two belts.

19. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coated past said means, comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the ma terial to be coated is carried, a cooling means above the top run of the second belt and a second cooling means above the bottom run of the second belt.

20. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion-supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coated past said means, comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the material to be coated is carried, said third belt running at an incline below the emulsionsupplying means.

21. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coated past said means, comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the-Inaterial to be coated is carried, means for cooling the second belt, said third belt being thin and of material such that it is readily cooled by the second belt, and a support for the third belt intermediate the first two belts.

22. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion-supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coat ed past said means, comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the material to be coated is carried, means for cooling the second belt, said third belt being .thin and of material such that it is readily 23. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion-supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coated past said means, comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on whichv the material to be coated is carried, said emulsionsupplying means having a long outlet slot and a brush for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to be coated.

24. An apparatus for coating material with photographic emulsions or the like comprising emulsion-supplying means and means for conveying the material to be coated past said means, comprising two belts arranged in tandem and a third belt passing over said two belts and on which the material to be coated is carried, said third belt running at an incline below the emulsionsupplying means, said emulsion-supplying means having a long outlet slot and a conveyer for conveying the emulsion fromthe slot to the material to be coated, the incline of the third conveyer belt being such that the emulsion is permitted to collect at the edge of said conveyer.

25. An apparatus for coating material with sensitive photographic emulsions or the like having an emulsion container with a long outlet slot with opposed faces, one of the faces being provided with grooves spaced at various points along said slot, said grooves extending substantially in the 27. An apparatus for coating material with sensitive photographic emulsions or the like having an emulsion container with a long outlet slot formed by two opposed members, and a brush for conveying the emulsion from the slot to the material to be coated, one of the, members having a thin edge lying against a visible surface of the brush, whereby the emulsion flowing from said thin edge to the brush will form a bead of emulsion on the surface of the brush thereat when the brush acting as a capillary reservoir is substantially full of emulsion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed myname to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

HENRY E. KocK.

Witnesses GORHAM CROSBY, EDWIN SEGER. 

